Hanoi, October 2, 2026 – The Europe Today: Canada and Vietnam have launched a new municipal partnership aimed at strengthening climate-resilient infrastructure, improving sustainable waste management and promoting inclusive urban development.
The Vietnam Climate Resilient Municipalities (VNCRM) project will facilitate the exchange of practical experience between Canadian municipalities and Vietnamese urban counterparts while developing locally appropriate solutions to common climate-related challenges.
Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, the initiative has a budget of CAD 9.8 million (US$6.9 million) and will run for five years. It will be implemented in Vietnam by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in cooperation with the Vietnam Institute for Urban and Rural Planning under the Ministry of Construction and the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association.
The project will focus on climate-resilient infrastructure, asset management and integrated solid waste management, with particular attention to reducing plastic waste.
Brittany Merrifield, Mayor of Grand Bay-Westfield, New Brunswick, and Governance Representative for the VNCRM project, said municipalities were on the front lines of climate change and directly experienced the impacts of flooding, infrastructure pressures and waste-management challenges.
She said the partnership would enable Canadian and Vietnamese municipalities to exchange practical experience and identify climate solutions that could be adapted to local circumstances.
Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Jim Nickel said the initiative demonstrated the practical implementation of the Canada–Vietnam Strategic Partnership, particularly in areas including climate resilience, sustainable growth and economic development.
He said the project would draw on Canadian and Vietnamese expertise and innovation to address shared challenges while supporting more resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development.
The VNCRM project will operate across nine wards in Quảng Ninh, Đà Nẵng, Lâm Đồng and Đồng Tháp, using demonstration initiatives to develop practical lessons that can subsequently be shared and adapted across Vietnam’s wider urban system.
The initiative will also seek to strengthen the participation of women and vulnerable groups in climate-resilience activities.
The launch comes shortly after Canada and Vietnam elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership during Vietnamese General Secretary and President Tô Lâm’s state visit to Canada on September 24–25.
The two countries’ joint statement specifically identified the VNCRM project as an example of cooperation in climate-resilient infrastructure and waste management, as well as a platform for showcasing Canadian technologies and solutions.
The Strategic Partnership between Canada and Vietnam includes cooperation on energy security, environmental protection and sustainable growth, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to climate action and resilient infrastructure.
The new municipal initiative is expected to contribute to the practical implementation of the expanded bilateral partnership while supporting Vietnamese localities in addressing climate-related risks and improving the sustainability and resilience of urban development.
